Apple reveals AirPods 3 with spatial audio

AirPods 3 water resistant

Third generation AirPods have arrived. Apple showed off the latest installment in its wireless headphone lineup at the fall "Unleashed" event. Completely redesigned, the AirPods 3 offer several features previously offered on the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max models. Much like their predecessor, the latest AirPods are wireless earbuds with a universal fit and no ear tips.

AirPods (3rd gen) deliver increased battery life over the previous model, with six hours of playback on a full charge (or four hours of call time). Placing the AirPods in the charging case for just a five minutes adds another hour of playback. A new MagSafe charging case (sold separately) is compatible with AirPods 3.

The updated design brings a 33 percent shorter downward stem with a force sensor control to AirPods 3. Not only this, but the earphones feature spatial audio with dynamic head tracking for complete immersion in media such as Dolby Atmos. While the contoured design is a universal fit for most ears, Adaptive EQ automatically tunes the sound output to match your own personal inward ear shape.

IPX4 under IEC standard 60529 means the AirPods are sweat and water resistant, for activities like running in the rain.

AirPods 3 can be ordered for $179 and come with six months of Apple Music free. Apple still offers the AirPods 2 at a discounted price of $129.